The Dark flames of Devotion
by Y-PenDraig
Summary: Here it is my first attempt at actually publishing a fic. Who said Keitaro had no martial arts training at all, after training with Seta he proved a natural talent for it, where did it come from? What if there was a promise before the infamous promise, and something forced it in a way that no one could avoid?


_**I do not own Love Hina, nor am I affiliated in any way, if I was I'd be continuing writing/drawing them. lol**_

Ok just a few notes on ages, I have decided to keep everyone the same age as in canon, except for Keitaro who I decided to make just a year older, just so he is a little closer to a certain older ladies age and hopefully slightly more intelligent (very hopefully.)

Although I am going to try to keep the characters in canon as much as possible, certain events that I change will obviously make for some interesting artistic licencing in how I believe each character would react to the scenario. Hopefully I won't stray too far.

 **The Dark flames of Devotion**

 _ **We start our tale in early to mid-2000**_

It has been often said that "power corrupts, but absolute power corrupts absolutely". However, one should contemplate the nature of power itself. Is a gun a deadly weapon without someone to pull the trigger? Is it by its very nature more devastating or lethal than perhaps a more mundane item, like a car?

A car for example, in the wrong hands, could be a violent killing machine. Is it fault of the car, or the drunken and irresponsible driver behind the wheel? If a bullet is flying at your head, or three tons of steel is barrelling down on you instead, does it make much of a difference if the end result is your cranium turned into a red gooey paste?

These were all questions that Keitaro Urashima would have liked to consider in greater detail, but unfortunately for him the sleeping driver behind the wheel of the light industrial truck that was about to kill him wasn't being particularly cooperative.

" _What the hell?"_ he thought in a panic, _"This idiot is going to run me over!"_

Despite the shock, Keitaro's reflexes, keen already from years of dodging various attacks, including live munitions from the bizarre residents of the inn he managed, tried to go into overdrive. He had taken barely a step before he realized that a previous injury – his leg was broken and in a cast, all but guaranteed that he was about to become road pizza. His life, as brief as it was, flashed before his eyes.

" _I'm doomed,"_ he thought soberly, _"There's no way I can keep my promise. There'll be no one to take care of the girls… and Naru? What about Naru?"_

Naru Narusegawa was the beautiful, buxom and fiery love of Keitaro's life. Just weeks before he had poured his heart out to her and confessed his undying affection. He was still waiting for her to get back to him.

Considering what was about to happen – he darkly thought, he might be waiting a very long time for that response. Or perhaps short, depending on your view of the afterlife. Still, even when faced with his imminent death, the only thing he could consider worse was the deep seated fear that even if he had lived, that Naru would forever hold him and his feelings at bay.

As the conveyance of Keitaro's doom continued its relentless trajectory, the young man reflected on a life ill-spent. He was clumsy, a bit of a pervert and ultimately spineless. For so long he had been terrified, terrified not just of women, but of hurting someone ever again… just like he had that…

Still, even now, when faced with his own mortality, he couldn't bear to make himself remember.

" _Just forget it Keitaro. Forget it all,"_ he thought to himself, half pleading and all hopeless.

Something in his subconscious on the other hand had other ideas; gazing at the truck as it careered towards him time seemed to slow. Keitaro's head began to throb painfully as he tried to fight a memory he'd rather forget, as if it plagued him.

As if reaching out from deep inside, a presence laughs at Keitaro's pain in a sinister way _._

" _Who are you?"_ fear evident in his mind _, "NOO! I don't want that to be my last thought,"_ he pleaded with his own mind, but to no avail. _"I still need to make it up to her."_

" _IF THESE ARE TO BE MY FINAL MOMENTS MEAGRE HUMAN, I WILL BRING ETERNAL TORMENT"_ the sinister voice roared.

" _Ohh great, even my own mind is going to torment me?"_ Keitaro thinks in a depreciating tone.

It's said that moments before you leave this world, your life flashes before your eyes, in Keitaro's case it was his regrets. He began to remember something from before, to some degree he had yet to come to terms with.

Frustratingly fighting the presence Keitaro tries to force his mind to take another direction " _Think about the s-sandbox, the Promise and about Todai …"_

" _I still haven't found her,"_ Keitaro glumly stated to himself.

As if to mock the accident prone man the sinister voice replies _"Guess you never will now?"_ As if to goad, the voice then roars in laughter at the young man's plight.

Images of a divine smile began to reach him as if forced to torment him. Excitement and terror two conflicting emotions were the only feelings he had with a hefty amount of guilt thrown in. _"I can't…It's too much,"_ he thought as tears began to fall, the images became clearer and clearer as if something were clicking in to place.

Keitaro knew he was not the smartest person but he was not a complete idiot, like the girls he had a history that made him the way he was. Moreover, unlike the girls he understood that to change he would need to want to.

Resigning to his fate, he tried to make peace with himself by entering some sort of meditative state. While struggling to stay upright with his leg in a cast he began to see flashes of something he thought he had long forgotten.

Keitaro began to repeat; as if it was some sort of chant _"N-No not her… A-Angel-sama."_

The pain from his throbbing head was almost taunting him by now, his promise girl began to grow taller, her hair darker. The sandbox began to fade as if by magic until he suddenly began to see what looked like a forest with a small clearing.

An ominous feeling took hold of him. A chill ran through him as he began to feel a cold winter breeze that reminded him of something from long ago…

" _Huh,"_ Keitaro said, "what's happening?" opening his eyes as the surrounding street gave way to a snowy mountainous space, tree's as far as the eye could see as houses and shops faded; the sound of birds, insects and all other sorts of noises you'd not normally hear in city.

 **-(Flashback)-**

 **-Scene change- Sometime in the mid 1980's**

It was winter time somewhere in the mountains, though it had been quite mild there was still snow to be seen at the tops of the taller trees. Keitaro looked around as he felt someone holding his little hand as they seemed to be walking to someplace.

Looking up at said person and noticed he was walking hand in hand with Grandmother Hina many years ago; _"It would have to be years ago"_ Keitaro thought _"I'm looking UP at Granny."_

He noticed they had come upon a footpath that wound its way to a large and imposing building that was surrounded by a rather tall wall. _"Granny, where are we going?"_ A young Keitaro asked.

" _We are going to meet some old friends of mine Kei kun"_ replied Hina with a smile _"They should be able to help us develop those unique talents of yours"_

She also explained as her head seemed to droop a little; _"One of my friend's daughters has become ill since a demon attack recently, we are here to help"_ In a now regretful tone very different from the cheerful one she just had.

" _Huh,"_ the young man replied in a confused tone. _"But I've been training with you and Haruka chan?"_ Young Keitaro questioned.

" _Fu-Fu-Fu, Do not worry young one,"_ replied an amused Hina. _"It will do you good, being our families' heir you need to learn how to deal with other styles of the arts."_ She encouraged.

Outwardly Hina projected confidence to the boy, but inside she was concerned about Keitaro. The boy showed so much promise with his High levels of ki and natural adeptness at the family arts, but with reports from the family about his inability to connect with others she was truly worried he would be able to handle the role as heir without someone taking advantage of him and leading the family to ruin.

The Urashima's were one of the oldest families; proud and well respected family all around Japan, since the time of Empress Genshō in 715 when they were officially recognised. They were the silent protectors (Shinobi) of the Emperor's and Empress through the ages and served loyally no matter what task they were required to complete.

" _But why?"_ the young be speculated boy asked again _"I can already beat Haruka chan? Apart from you she's the strongest person I know?"_ while the said young man flexed his bicep at Granny in a triumphant pose.

In a sly amused tone, Hina pronounced _"Be careful you don't go saying that to Haruka's face."_

In a somewhat fearful tone, though he tried to hide it (and failed _) "T-That's ok I'll just have to show her how strong I am"_ suddenly walking in to something hard and fell on to his behind in true Keitaro fashion.

It was Hina as she had stopped to marvel at the building they had arrived at _"We have arrived Kei Kun"_

" _So pretty,"_ commented Keitaro as he stood up from his impromptu seat, an intimidated look on his face as he stood near the foot of a large building, marvelling at how much larger it was than the Hinata sou.

"It is; isn't it," replied Hina as she smiled at him. She explained _"This is where you are going to develop that magnificent ki energy of yours Kei-kun,"_ Hina marvelled as she reached out with her well-honed abilities to alleviate his poorly concealed nervous tension.

A large old fashioned door suddenly unlatches, _"Hina-sama, it is a most joyous day the spirits have granted for your visit."_

" _Chizuko, it is good to see you again_ " said Hina as she opened her arms to give the other woman a hug. _"How are your lovely, daughters are they well?"_

" _Come and greet our guest's daughters,"_ ushers Chizuko to the girls behind her. With a slight frown but held no malice _"They are as well as can be expected since that demon…"_

Not wanting to darken the moment Chizuko quickly amended the conversation _"Ohh, this must be your darling nephew you have spoken so much about"_ as she patted Keitaro's head. _"My how he's grown in these short years?"_

The two girls come forward to greet their guests, Keitaro stared in awe at the divine smile that greets him from the older girl, as she gives a slight bow and ushers her younger sister who seemed to be afraid and mostly hidden behind her Hakama.

Tugging on Hina's sleeve to get her attention Keitaro asked "Grandmother; who is she? Is she really sick? She looks like an Angel? How can she be sick?"

Coughing to alleviate a blush that threatened to form Tsuruko replied _"Welcome Urashima, My name is Tsuruko Aoyama and this_ …" as she gestured to her overwhelmed younger sister _"…Is my younger sister Mo-chan"_ as the said young girl poked her head out behind her older sister.

Both Hina and Chizuko stared at the young lad with bemused smiles. _"My my, what an adorable young man, he certainly knows how to charm the ladies,"_ an amused Chizuko said, having lost her minor battle Tsuruko looked away with a blush on her face.

Tsuruko was to hone and harness his latent energy because of the friendship ties between their clans, his skills in the Urashima arts were fair, but he found it difficult to gain complete control on his energy levels in addition mastering his families' arts.

Keitaro's ability to put people at ease meant they had become quick friends after they were introduced. Since his arrival Tsuruko spent much of her time training him in their style and shown no signs of any illness, she seemed to go out of her way to be in his presence.

" _ohh…ouch"_ Keitaro's murmurs as his head begins to throb and memories fade in to darkness.

" _Are you enjoying this little trip down memory lane HUMAN?"_ said the sinister voice in an amused and angry tone.

Keitaro's consciousness starts to drift, when unexpectedly he hears "You're doing very well Kei-kun, Are you warmed up?" said Tsuruko smiling at his devotion.

Keitaro Looked up in awe at the divine presence, his mind befuddled and confused. While holding his trademark dopey smile Keitaro replies _"Finally finished these katas Angel-sama."_

Tsuruko replied _"Good, then we can get started on your training Keitaro," her_ confidence commanded his respect yet he felt unusually drawn to her.

One day they set out on a short training journey in to the mountains beyond the compound, showing no signs of her illness in the short months they had been together. They travelled a short distance in to the mountains; purpose being that they did not need to worry about causing too much damage if the training got a little out of control.

" _Tsuru-chan are you ready?"_ as Keitaro got in to stance for their 'light' sparing session.

Drawing her blade Tsuruko smiled and simply replied _"Ready,"_ as they began to spar.

The spar went to and fro as Keitaro tried to keep up with Tsuruko's obvious skill advantage, though he was working harder and harder Keitaro simply held a smile that always seemed to be plastered on his face every time he trained with Tsuruko.

As Keitaro reinforced a double spinning back kick with ki, he noticed though too late that his female partner suddenly stopped, dropping her sword and clutching at her heart as she raised her left arm too her head which seemed to also cause her pain.

CRUNCH as his left foot connected with her raised arm, falling to her knees she let out a blood curdling scream as the pain nearly overwhelmed her.

" _TSURU-CHAN!"_ Keitaro screamed as he realised what had happened, though he did not understand why she had stopped mid spar, he could see the pain in her face as she tried to control it, shaking him to his very core.

"K-Kei-kun, I N-Need you to help me" As she fought to remain as calm as she could, but he was still young and did what most 6 year olds do panicked.

Though it hurt like hell Tsuruko willed herself off of the ground as she tried to keep her injured arm to her body to keep it as still as possible. Walking over to Keitaro she slapped him across the face to bring him back to some semblance of control, leaving out a whimper herself as she jolted her already injured arm.

Calming at the effective use of force; Keitaro's cheek hurt but it was very efficient. She explained that she would need his help to get back to the dojo as quickly as possible.

Keitaro just nodded and said "I-I'm sorry Angel-sama."

Giving Keitaro a small smile the young woman started to get back to her feet but yelped as the small bag of supplies she was carrying fell off of her shoulder and hit her broken arm.

Keitaro was shocked once again, one of the strongest women he knew was showing pain, though upset it seemed to get his mind oddly back in to gear, he remembered something his Grandmother had recently taught him in the Urashima secret technique's.

" _Angel-sama, will you trust me? please sit"_ Keitaro asked, as he tried to explain the procedure in his families' art known as "Urashima Reiki-Chiyu." Having a bases similar to Reiki only considerably more advanced as the practitioner could use their own life force to heal another. (See notes for description below) Though being Keitaro and a young one at that sounded much more remarkably like _"make boo boo; go bye bye"_

Pondering his explanation, she realised that he was trying to help in his own way and make up for the damage he'd caused, though she also realised it was as much her fault for allowing her sudden explosive headache from her 'condition' to overcome her and lead to the entire predicament.

Though mindful of her injury she decided to at least try to get him to understand the situation she turned and walked to sit on a small boulder under a large pine tree, while lowering her injured arm to her legs. She replied _"Kei-kun we should get back to the dojo, we can get help there"_

" _Please, let me help you?"_ as Keitaro pleaded with her, as he gave her the world's most cute puppy dog eye's. She tried to relax by meditating and give Keitaro a chance to aid her.

Though her arm was throbbing, she decided to give him a chance to try as she tried to collect herself ready for the journey back "OK Kei-kun, we will rest for a few moments as I need a short time before we make our way back" she replied.

"Thanks Tsuru-chan" the young man replied, with a beaming smile.

He was ecstatic for the opportunity that proved that she trusted him enough to tend to her injury. Keitaro stood before her as he tried to remember what Hina had taught him about the technique. Letting out a calming breath, Keitaro entered a meditative state and sought his 'centre', which as Hina had explained, _"Look for the blue Kei-kun"._

In her meditative state, she felt a burst of enormous fiery energy in front of her and decided to reach out to it using her own ki, knowing it could only be him. Reaching out she knew it was Keitaro but she had never realised just how potent his energy really was.

'Seeing' in her mind's eye she could not believe just how powerful it really was, over the few months she had trained with him she had noticed his ki levels were above average when it came to his 'killer instinct,' But he'd never particularly stood out as a warrior.

However, as she continued to consider how much stronger he was when he was trying to heal her she realised that she had been wrong, so wrong about her belief in what a warrior was. Her mind came to a revelation then _"Keitaro is no offensive warrior but a defensive one? A warrior uses their skills or abilities to help those who cannot help themselves or those in need"_

Looking at him in a different light Tsuruko let a small genuine smile creep on to her features, she knew that she was impressed, she had mastered her family's arts but here was a boy 4 years younger than her who came to learn some of her families' techniques, in reality she had learnt something far more valuable from him.

" _I have to help her"_ Keitaro's mind was frantic; he was nowhere near mastering the skill; reaching out to 'Feel' for her ki signature, Keitaro saw an amazingly fiery red energy signature in front of him and urged her to let their energies sync.

Knowing it was hers he reached out placing his hands above the offended limb; it wasn't dislocated but Keitaro could tell it was broken. His mind showed that both forearm bones had clean brakes, luckily they were not disjointed.

As she reached him she began to hear his thoughts _"I have to fix this" Keitaro's mind screamed through. Pulling back she realised "I need to set up some sort of protection for myself, so our ki do not become blended". Refocusing her efforts she created a 'barrier' of sort._

" _I have to fix this"_ Keitaro thought. As he 'linked' their ki energies together, he knew he would have to be careful and try to ignore the random thoughts or feelings that seemed to drift in to his consciousness from her.

Remembering Grandmother Hina chuckling "Never try to understand a woman's mind Kei-kun, it's too much for any man". As much as he loved her, he always got the feeling she was having more fun teasing him.

Sheer determination etched upon his face, Keitaro couldn't help himself noticing that the bone had been knitted. Willing the surrounding tissues to heal from a nasty looking inflammation they had.

Noticing his energies had drastically dropped, tiredly she asked with a concerned tone _"Kei-kun? You need to stop now, your wearing yourself out"._ Her own energies depleted from the ordeal her own defence against him dropped for a few moments.

" _If he does not stop soon he may burn out completely, he will truly be gone then_ ", she'd had enough of being ignored. She decided to focus deeper in to her own consciousness to _"persuade him"_

" _Uhh… I'm getting sleepy"_ Keitaro said in a hushed tone. Titillated with a need for an answer he ignored her attempts to get him to stop. _"I wonder why she suddenly stopped during a sparring match"_ he asked himself.

Willing himself to finish his task at hand, Keitaro pushed himself deeper in to his technique knowing that it was better he stopped, driven by guilt; sheer determination drove him to finish healing the damage he'd caused.

As he delved deeper in to there almost indistinguishable energies, which had taken on a much darker purple colour with only the very cores separating them.

An ominous third voice could be heard "Come little one, Come, I have not felt this much energy in years"

Petrified Keitaro began to feel engulfed by it, try as he did, he could not understand where it was coming from.

" _Kei kun, GET OUT NOW"_ she shouted trying to force him to separate.

" _I'm trying Angel-sama"_ he replied. Keitaro tried to oblige, but his weakened state left him exhausted

" _Foolish human's, you think I would give up after all this effort"_ the third voice shrieked. Keitaro began to sputter as his neck felt like something was trying to constrict it; as if something was trying to strangle him.

" _GET AWAY FROM HIM DEMON!"_ Tsuruko screamed as she felt the demon trying to take the boy's life. She was weakened from the whole ordeal, but pressed on in trying to fight the demon off long enough for him to survive.

Refocusing his mind; he ignored Tsuruko's pleas and continued to use his own life force to eradicate the evil that seemed to eat away at their now shared life force, the demon screamed in absolute agony at being beaten.

As he began to lose consciousness Keitaro thought to himself _"there it's all gone ,I promise I'll make it up to you my Angel"_ and promptly blacked out.

As the blackness consumed him he heard her frantically call out to him _"Kei kun, Kei kun"._

 **-Back in the present-**

Deep down Keitaro knew he was not wrong in feeling bad for what he'd done but he'd been forgiven but could not forgive himself. This was why he was always so scared around the girls; he loved them but was afraid if he could not control himself being around them that he could hurt them.

Since the incident Keitaro had tried to train in martial arts, but found he was just not able to commit to it as the experience had hurt his very soul and he had never found a way to deal with what had happened and forgive himself though she had forgiven him.

At that moment the truck was about to hit him, Keitaro closed his eyes and braced himself for what he hoped would be a quick death. Suddenly Keitaro felt a burst of Ki energy that felt vaguely familiar but different to anything he'd felt recently, with a blur whizzing past him.

Zanken Ni-no-Tachi "Evil-Cutting Sword, Second Strike"

Suddenly the truck split in two with almost surgical precision, each half harmlessly falling either side the driver wakes up without a clue as to what's happened, just looks around like a dog that chases its own tail.

Keitaro was bowled over by the divine presence. Looking up he saw a familiar sight of red hakama pants, but as his gaze turned upwards he realized the wearer was not whom he originally thought it would be. Stammering he spoke "Y-You're not M-Motoko!"

The fetching stranger turned to face him with a hand to her mouth and a slight giggle "fu-fu-fu, has Kei-kun been neglecting his training?"

The Angel as Keitaro thinks as she replies "Silly Kei-kun how can you forget your old Sensei?" somewhat amused by Keitaro's confusion.

In true Keitaro style he merely utters "Angel-sama?" as he faints in the middle of the road.

 **Chapter End**

Ok this is the first chapter done I hope it turned out OK; I've had the basic idea kicking around for literally years but it was in bits and pieces. On reading Darkfire45's story The Fiery Blades of Love, something clicked on a workable idea.

I endeavour to update the story as soon as I can but I do ask for some patience with the amount of hours in work and life in general these days I don't get much of a chance to sit and formally write the story, just a few minutes here and there where I come up with bits and pieces for ready when I can sit down and write it out properly.

Darkfire45 who graciously let me adopt his story just want to say thanks to him first.

Also a big thanks to Quis Custodiet who helped me rewrite the original draft of this chapter and helped me improve the flow of the original draft as it was soo bitty.

Please leave a review if you have a minute or two, criticisms are always appreciated but flamers will be laughed at and asked to take a long walk of a very tall but short cliff.

 **Notes on a few terms used:**

In deciding on a name for Mrs Aoyama I did some research on her daughters names and as "Tsuru" Kanji meaning Crane, I decided to keep in with the spirit of the story I decided Aoyama mother "Chizuko" Kanji meaning children of a thousand cranes

 **Reiki**

'The word **Reiki** is made of two Japanese words - Rei which means 'God's Wisdom or the Higher Power' and Ki which is 'life force energy'. So **Reiki** means 'spiritually guided life force energy'. **Reiki** is a Japanese technique for stress reduction and **relaxation** that also promotes healing.

I am going to be focusing on the healing ability which is going to be a much more advanced Urashima technique. Hence the term Urashima Technique Reiki-Chiyu "God's Wisdom-ki-Healing"


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